MISSING . . . and FOUND!
THE DAILY MAIL offers readers a unique opportunity to reestablish contact with long-lost relatives and friends. Each week, MONICA PORTER features the story of someone trying to find a missing loved one, as well as a tale of people reunited. This column is produced in conjunction with the voluntary tracing service Searching For A Memory, run by Gill and John Whitley.
DOEs a family of expats who once lived in Bahrain remember the local boy they took under their wing?
‘In the early seventies, I was finishing primary school,’ writes Jawad ‘Jaw’ Hashim, a retired air traffic controller.
‘Life was hard so, in the summer holidays, I looked for part-time jobs that would earn me the money I needed to continue going to school.
‘near where I lived in the capital Manama, at a village called Mahooz, there was a British family living in a villa on a compound for expats.
‘I think the families there all worked for aluminium Bahrain (alba).
‘ I offered to wash their cars and started doing this regularly. The wife’s name was sue and she had a yellow Datsun. I can’t remember the husband’s name, but he had a beard and specs and drove a brown Hillman. Their little boy was called Matthew and he was aged three or four.
‘One day, sue asked me if I could get a donkey for Matthew’s birthday, to give him and his friends rides at the party. With my poor English, I didn’t understand what she meant, so we had to go to the village to find someone to translate.
‘I was a little young for this task, but I managed to do it. The children enjoyed the rides and pictures were taken — I hope sue still has them.
‘I am 60 and live in Mahooz, not far from sue’s old house. It would be wonderful to make contact again.’ BOB HaLL, of Lidgate, suffolk, has been looking for fellow members of the 1959 Rugby First XV of northgate Grammar school for Boys in Ipswich.
When we first ran his story two years ago, he was looking for eight players: norman Gammer, Barry Williams (winger), Graeme Massey (centre), Dave Berry (prop), John Hobbs ( forward), Pete Bradley (wing forward), colin Lewis (hooker) and Brian Heritage.
‘northgate ceased to exist in 1976 and doesn’t have an old boys’ association, so we hope you can find our missing team-mates for a catch-up and reunion,’ wrote Bob.
We soon learnt that, sadly, Brian Heritage had passed away and, much later, we had news from Down under from John Hobbs.
‘I moved to australia in 1965 and would love to reminisce with Bob about our rugby days,’ he wrote.
now, there’s more: ‘With the help of Missing and Found and researchers David Kilby and Jeff Pinson, I’ve traced Dave Berry, norman Gammer and Barry Williams,’ says Bob. ‘Only three to go!’
IF THERE is someone you’d like to trace, write to Gill Whitley, 1 Newbrook House, New Hall Lane, Preston PR1 5PE, enclosing an SAE, or send an email to monica.porter@daily mail.co.uk, including a contact phone number. All communications answered as soon as possible. A small donation will be requested for employing Gill Whitley’s services. Research with the aid of www.192.com